NDA's seat-sharing pact 'final'; LJP not to contest against JD(U)
New Delhi: There would be no pitting of candidates against Janata Dal (United) nominees by the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in the crucial assembly elections in Bihar as the seat sharing formula among all the alliance partners of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has almost been "finalised".
According to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda, who was in Patna on his two-day visit the state to launch Atma Nirbhar Bihar poll campaign themed on Bihari pride, all the three allies – BJP, JD(U) and LJP – would jointly fight the battle of ballots against Grand Alliance and secure a comfortable victory.
Notably, Nadda didn't mention a word about any role of Jitan Ram Manjhi, who left Mahagathbandhan to join JD(U), in seat sharing that clearly means that there would be no separate seat arrangement for Manjhi's party Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), which has threatened to pit its candidates against BJP nominees if LJP fields candidates against JD(U)'s nominees.
According to party insiders, a consensus has been developed among both the key allies – BJP and JD(U) — about the numbers of seats that they would contest on. Also, both the allies have decided to select their candidates on the basis of vote-share pattern of 2019 general elections. "In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, LJP was also a part of the NDA alliance and seats were distributed among BJP, JD-U and LJP. So there is no question of LJP not following the alliance dharma," a party insider said, adding that the LJP would get its due share of seats.
As per sources, the JD-U and BJP are working on a 50:50 seat-sharing formula, while the remaining seats would be left for others ally partner LJP. However, as per a senior JD-U leader, party has demanded separate seats quota for Manjhi's party.
Notably, BJP chief JP Nadda met JD(U) president and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar at his residence where informal discussions on seat-sharing for the polls took place.
Others who were present in the meeting include former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is party's Bihar in-charge and BJP national general secretary Bhupender Yadav.
The JD(U)-BJP combine had contested the national election in Bihar last year and won. Their relation, however, deteriorated after the BJP offered just one Union Cabinet berth to the JD(U), which was unacceptable to JD-U's Nitish Kumar.
The BJP last year had declared that it will contest the Bihar polls under Kumar's leadership, in a move to mollify its upset ally.
